


Heart of Steel

by Darkside13 (LeviZacharias13)



Series: Miche Love [6]
Category: Man of Steel (2013), Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Crossover, Denial of Feelings, Difficult Decisions, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Smut, Falling In Love, Feelings, Fluff, I spell his name Miche not Mike, Idiots in Love, Injury, Kryptonian Miche, Loneliness, Love Confessions, M/M, Miche has super powers, Protective Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Requited Love, Slow Build, Slow Romance, Sweet, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Trans Male Character, human character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-27
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:42:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22928902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeviZacharias13/pseuds/Darkside13
Summary: Life in a small town was boring until a certain shaggy blond giant came in and turned his whole world upside down.
Relationships: Mike Zacharias/Original Male Character(s)
Series: Miche Love [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1570483
Kudos: 7





	Heart of Steel

**Author's Note:**

> I recommend listening to Heart of Courage by Two Steps From Hell while reading as it's what I listened to while writing.

Dex had seen the new arrival in town. Had paid close attention to the way the giant of a blond seemed to avoid all contact with anyone but his coworkers and even then, he was fairly reserved. He could be bullied into conversation if the lithe noirette tried hard enough. Which he almost never had time for. With his working in a diner and the brute only ever stopping in for coffee and a quiet breakfast, the petite male only ever got in a few sentences before his boss was nagging at him not to pester the customers. He liked his boss well enough. Even if the man was as cold and stoic as they come, he was still fair. Reasonable. 

"Hey Dex. Finish up your rounds then get outta here. It's getting late and I'm not gonna have you walking after dark in this weather." Levi called from behind the counter. 

"You sure you don't need me to stay over? I can if you need me to." The taller raven replied, wiping down the table he'd just finished busing. 

"Yeah, go on. There's bad weather inbound." The manager didn't look up from what he was doing but he was certain the boy was grinning ear to ear. 

Dex sped through the last of his duties, washing the tables down and dropping the dishes in the back before hanging up his apron and slipping his coat on. He was just about to dart out the door when he collided with something hard. Hard enough to stumble him backwards into a rough landing on his backside. 

"Sorry, I didn't see you there." The small man brushed himself off, accepting the huge hand offering to pull him to his feet. 

"You alright?" A deep baritone asked. 

Dex looked up. And up. And up some more until he finally met that aqua gaze. Blush tinting his cheeks, the dark haired boy nodded once before dipping passed the giant that frequented the diner. He hadn't meant to run into the blond but doing so had felt like colliding with a brick wall. There wasn't an ounce of give when most people would have at least stumbled. Just a tiny bit. A cold gust of wind pulled him from his thoughts and the youth continued on his way home, slender form shaking like a leaf once he finally made it through the front door. Shucking out of his coat, the waiter shuffled up to his room after kicking off his shoes by the door. A brisk shower and half a movie later and he found himself asleep, curled up in his bed. All night, all he could think about was just how much it had hurt to run into the blond at the restaurant. When he woke the next morning to get ready for work and found bruises where he'd collided with the man, he frowned but continued on all the same. The slender boy had a bit of time before he had to clock in and so, he sat in one of the booths, looking down at a book he'd been reading. The bell on the door jingling drew his attention in time to see the very man that had plagued his mind all night long. 

"Morning." Dex called a little too enthusiastically, waving the sandy haired beast over. 

When the man almost reluctantly joined him, he gave a warm, cheery smile. 

"Sorry I bumped into you last night. Mister Ackerman was worried about me getting caught in a storm. I'm Dex." The shorter male extended a hand in greeting. 

"Miche." The blond inspected the tiny paw a moment before carefully grasping and shaking once, hand retreating to his side immediately after. 

"Miche. It's nice to meet you." Pale blue eyes seemed to brighten all the more at the introduction. 

The boy's energy was almost too much for Miche. As much as he wanted to return the warm and friendly gestures, he couldn't afford to get attached to anyone. Not with the way he constantly stayed on the move to avoid anyone becoming suspicious of him. With one kryptonian already out in the public eye, the last thing he needed was for someone to discover him. All he wanted was to live a normal life. Saving the world was Superman's thing. His was more just making it to work on time in the morning. 

"So. I noticed you always sit alone. Never really have anyone to talk to. I aim to change that. No one should be alone all the time. It's not healthy. Even if I only ever see you here, I plan to get you to smile at least once. A week." Dex proclaimed exuberantly. 

The blond sighed and looked out the window, wanting to shoo the shorter man away to eat his food in peace. 

"Look, Dex. I appreciate you being friendly and all but… I'm a loner. I get that you're trying to be nice but, for your own sake. Don't. Just let me go on being unhealthy and alone. Please." Miche rumbled out, not meeting that atmospheric stare as he was sure he'd find a disheartened look there. 

"Oh. Okay. Sorry, I just… Sorry. I'll let you alone now." More than a little embarrassed, the raven wandered to the back, taking his tea with him. 

The muted look of amusement on his employer's face told him that the rejection was expected. 

"Tried to talk to the tree again, didn't you?" Levi drawled, barest hints of a smirk. "Hey, don't look so down. I know you were just trying to be nice. He does too, I'm sure. Some people just don't know what to do with all that energy of yours."

"You're probably right. I'll get to work." The taller noirette slipped his apron into place, making a point of not looking in Miche's direction as he started on his tasks for the day. 

When the younger man was out back smoking, Levi wandered over to the shaggy giant, set on clearing up the light tension hanging in the air. 

"Look, I get that you're a loner. Doesn't bother me whatsoever. But Dex is a good kid. He's got me and that's it. Be your quiet self. Do you but don't step on his feelings. Please. Kid's been through too much already. If he gets too rowdy, I'll deal with him. The worst he'll do is talk your ear off." The smallest in the room gave a slightly pleading look to the towering form. 

Miche regarded those wintry grey orbs a moment before sighing. 

"I'm not saying he's not a good kid. I… You know what, fine. He can talk my ear off, so long as he doesn't ask personal questions, I'll let him talk at me. Happy?" The brute finished his coffee then looked away. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

Despite his not wanting any sort of attachment, Miche found himself lingering around the little diner more and more in the mornings. It had gotten to the point that he would watch for the boy, wanting to make sure he made it to work on time, safe and sound. That particular morning found the tiny thing sat across from him, gulping down a plate full of pancakes and bacon. 

"Sorry for not talking much. I forgot to eat last night and I'm really hungry." Dex washed down another bite with a gulp of tea, plate cleared and set off to the side. 

"About the other day…" Those pale blue eyes met chartreuse questioningly. "Forget I brought it up." That he'd almost wanted to apologize had the large blond suddenly rising to his feet and dipping out the door without so much as a peep. 

The boy watched as Miche abruptly made his exit, disappointment weighing in his heart a tad heavier than the first time. He'd thought he was making progress. Thought the brute wanted to be his friend. Looking to the counter, the server walked back with a huff. Apron in place, Dex went through the day in a haze, mind everywhere but work. That night, as he was rounding up the dishes, he stopped to talk to the boss. 

"Mister Ackerman? Can I take the day off tomorrow? Jean said he'd cover for me." The younger man asked. 

"If Jean's covering for you, I don't see why not. Just be careful." Levi looked at the schedule and hummed. "You're gonna have three days off if you take tomorrow. Just thought you should know."

"Right. Thanks mister Ackerman." With the next few days off, the waiter would have time to better collect his thoughts and move on from his issue. 

The walk back home was short and uneventful, finding the boy in the tub, staring blankly at the wall. When the water began to grow cold, he finally pulled himself from the bath and dried, slipping into a pair of warm flannel bottoms and an oversized hoodie. Huddled up on the couch, the creeping sensation of loneliness settled into a knot just between his shoulders. It resulted in him curling up under a fleece blanket and trying to fall asleep. A few hours passed and yet he still couldn't sleep. Looking at the clock and realizing what time it was, the youth took up his blanket and wandered to his bedroom then flopped face down on the bed. He was lonely. The weather kept him from going out to try and socialize more. Or at least that's what he told himself. He'd blame the weather. Or the fact that he lives in a small town. Or the noisy neighbors. Anything but himself. Finally, sleep started to take him though, it was not a restful sleep. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

The three days had passed far too quickly for Dex. Though he felt he should be grateful for the reason to leave the house. It was as he was crossing the street and his feet suddenly slipped out from under him, body hitting the ground roughly. Enough that it left him dazed. To make matters worse, there was a truck headed right for him and he had no time to react. No time to get out of the way. Until there was a sickening crunch of metal and glass being broken. Looking up, what the raven saw had his jaw slack in shock. Standing above him, holding a full sized pickup truck over his head like it weighed nothing was none other than Miche. 

"M-Miche?" Dex's head hurt as did his elbows and back. 

The tumble on the ice had probably concussed him. And he might've broken something. Large hands suddenly lifted him before the one doing the lifting began moving so fast that it made his exposed skin sting from the cold. He could hear someone talking to him though, he couldn't make out what they were saying. All he knew was that the body he was pressed against was warm. There were more voices speaking but the throbbing in his head was louder still. He was so tired. Just wanted to curl up against the warmth of the one holding him and sleep. And so he did. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

Miche sat beside the slumbering ravenette, head resting on his arms, body slumped forwards in an attempt to rest. He'd stayed by the boy's bed while the doctors worked to patch him up, he wasn't about to leave until he made sure Dex was going to walk away from the injury. Thankfully no one had seemed to notice him using his power to save the youth. Or if they had, no one had said anything about it. If no one saw anything, he wouldn't say anything. It was when slender fingers suddenly carded through his hair that he sat up to find the noirette awake. 

"You saved me." Dex croaked out, mind slowly but surely putting the pieces together. "By picking up a whole truck."

Miche frowned. Of course the server had seen it. He'd been foolish to think his charge hadn't. Still, he would try and divert that train of thought elsewhere. 

"You hit your head. Concussed yourself. Just imagined all that. I just pulled you out of the road after you fell." The blond hoped his story was believable. 

That the smaller man didn't seem to want to question it pulled a sigh of relief from him. 

"You know… Not to be weird but, you could lay up here beside me. Instead of killing your back. Promise I won't try anything weird." Too tired to try and do much beyond lay down and go back to sleep, the lithe waiter scooted as best he could to let his savior try and rest some. 

"Let me know if I'm hurting you." The giant murmured before adjusting to lay on his side next to his charge. 

Miche was just starting to fall asleep when that warmth pressed against his chest a little more firmly. And as much as he wanted to pull away, the closeness felt too nice. It had been far too long since he felt this level of comfort. So much for avoiding his feelings, he thought. Maybe feeling for the boy wouldn't be so bad. They were both alone. Sure Dex had the grumpy manager of the diner, that actually seemed to care about him but, from everything the blond had seen, the youth was well and truly alone. A poor twenty something with no real friends and family to speak of. At last, real sleep claimed the kryptonian. 

It was waking that was difficult. Whatever he'd curled up with was warm. And soft. And smelled nice. Smelled faintly of mint and lavender. Pulling the sweet smelling thing to his chest earned him a bit of protesting from the injured human and his eyes shot open. Realizing he'd been squeezing the boy and all the bruised and damaged flesh, Miche released his hold immediately with a soft, mumbled apology. 

"You're alright. Just really, really strong." Dex adjusted in the bed to sit up a bit more, tentative hand reaching to touch one of those burly arms. "You're also really warm. Mmh, that's nice."

The giant couldn't help but chuckle as that head of dark hair tried to burrow into his chest once again. Despite his better judgement telling him it was a horrible idea. Despite knowing it would only end in heartbreak for both of them, he allowed the closeness. Allowed the lithe server to nestle in close to him. Just a little longer, he thought. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

With Dex out of the hospital, Miche had helped him home. The time in the medical facility had opened his eyes. And his heart. He'd come to realize that he didn't mind the tiny thing so much anymore. Once they arrived back at the noirette's house, he faltered with the boy invited him inside. 

"I have coffee. Mostly tea. Or something else. Um… I have beer? That I haven't touched since my dad died. I'm sorry, I… Don't normally have people over." Dex flustered, running to the kitchen to make tea. 

Miche stepped into the living room and perched delicately on the couch. He didn't want to break anything with his inhuman strength and risk upsetting his host. When a cup of hot tea was placed in his hands, he smiled. 

"Thank you. But you didn't have to do that. I just wanted to make sure you got home alright." The blond sipped at the beverage, humming his approval of the taste. 

The waiter sighed softly and sat beside his guest. He had no idea how to approach the subject he wanted to talk about. He knew what he saw. Knew he'd seen the brute lift that truck, concussion or not. 

"Look. I am eternally grateful for you saving my life. It's a debt I'll never be able to repay but… I know what I saw. You were holding that truck like it was nothing. And when I first bumped into you, I literally bounced off like I'd run headlong into a brick wall. I'm not accusing you of anything, I just want to know… What are you?" The shorter man suddenly gasped. "Are you like Superman? I won't tell anyone. I just…"

Shaggy blond bangs veiled sea green eyes as the mountainous man set the cup on the coffee table and promptly exited the house. The boy chasing after him registered only after a slender mitt clutched his own. 

"Please don't run away from me. Please, I don't have anyone else. I mean, mister Ackerman is nice to me. Helped me when I needed a job but… My parents are dead. I don't… I'm alone. I don't want to be alone anymore. Please." The hand being ripped away from him pulled a frown from the raven. 

He wouldn't let his savior run away from him. Wouldn't let the sandy headed male leave just like that. Or so he thought until he tried to stop the brute and ended up getting shoved hard enough to have him sent back a few feet. 

"Stay away from me. I just wanted to blend in. To live like you people. But you had to go and get hurt. I couldn't let you get hurt. But now I have to leave. Again. Because you know." Miche glared at the youth. 

It hurt his heart to see that dejected look on porcelain features. How he wished he were human. Wished he could comfort the ravenette. He wanted more than anything to stop those tears before they could escape. 

"Fine. But you don't have to leave. I don't have anyone to talk to anyway. Not like you'd have to worry about your secret getting out. Who am I gonna tell, the walls in my bedroom?" Hurt and feeling more than a little defensive, Dex picked himself up and shuffled back into the house, slamming the door on the way in. 

Miche could hear the soft sniffles of heartbreak escaping the human. He'd seen the loneliness the boy endured. Watched as every day he returned to an empty house. To the same book he read day in and day out. It stung to think that he could abandon one that very much needed him. Not his as a hero but as a friend. With a sigh, long legs carried him up onto the porch to knock lightly at the door before opening it. 

"Dex? You have to understand… I… I'm not human. You had it right when you asked if I was like Superman. Which is why I never stay in one place for long. Things end up happening so I always end up having to leave. If people found out…" The noirette interrupted him then. 

"Who am I gonna tell? Mister Ackerman would call me crazy. Probably fire me. Jean is an egotistical asshole that only cares about number one. I really don't talk to him at all. Eren is a loudmouth that needs a boot up the ass. Reiner might believe me. He might also laugh and say I'm just messing with him. And there you go the entire circle of people I talk to besides you. None of which I go out of my way to see outside work. I'm just as alone as you are. So if you're gonna leave, do it. Do it now, before I have a chance to…. Never mind. It doesn't matter anyway. I'm just a stupid human, what could I offer someone like you?" Dex retreated to his bedroom then, intent on waiting for the blond to leave him in peace. 

The kryptonian stood in the living room a good long moment, just taking in the words that had been spat at him. It made him feel all the more guilty for what he'd said. And also made clear that he couldn't just leave now. He'd gotten emotionally involved and leaving now would break his heart. He looked from the door to the stairs the youth had disappeared up and kicked his boots off, shutting the door to keep the cold out then wandered up to where the sounds of hurt feelings originated from. He didn't bother with knocking, simply opening the door and stepping into the space then crowding in beside the huddled form. As much as he wanted to comfort Dex, first he needed to make sure his secret really was safe and so, he scooped up the smaller frame and walked out the door. He kept walking till he was at the edge of the town before his feet left the dirt. He was hovering just above the ground. Slowly he began to ascend. Higher and higher until he was far enough off the ground that the human would die should he fall. 

"What are you… We're flying? We're flying! Oh man, please don't drop me!" The waiter clung to the one holding him in fright. 

"You'll keep my secret safe? I don't want to have to watch you die but, if you tell anyone, I'll have to." Miche was only bluffing, though the slender form in his arms certainly didn't seem to think so. 

"I already told you I have no one to tell! Please don't kill me! I mean, I get sad sometimes but life is worth living to the fullest! Please don't drop me!" Dex gripped all the harder in case the blond was not as benevolent as he seemed. 

Satisfied that he'd gotten the most truthful answer, the kryptonian landed and carried his trembling charge back to the house, tucking him into bed and climbing in behind him. 

"I'm from a planet called Krypton. I know that much. Though I couldn't tell you what it's like, nor could I tell you anything about my race, other than we're really powerful here on earth. Kal-El is Superman. He got lucky. Got to learn about who he really is. All I know is that I came from an alien world and have super powers." Miche rumbled softly. "You're not scared of me now are you?"

"Maybe just a little bit. I mean, you did threaten to kill me." Rolling to face the one sharing his bed, the raven sighed softly before nestling into that broad chest. "Though, I have to say, flying was really cool. What else can you do?"

The giant chuckled then, hugging the small man to his chest. 

"I can fly, lift things no human ever could, freeze things with my breath. Can even shoot beams from my eyes. I'm also pretty much invincible. Never been able to get hurt. Not even bullets hurt me. Oh, and I can see through things. Hear incredibly well. My sense of smell is also really keen." He could get used to this. 

Being so close to another living being was so nice. Felt so incredibly good. It had him shrugging out of his flannel to better feel the heat the boy produced. The pair wrestled to get fewer layers between them, ending up in only their boxer briefs, huddled up under a blanket together. 

"Would you… Like to… Maybe stay here? With me?" Dex mumbled into that broad form, not wanting to give up the contact he'd found. 

That he meant more than just staying the night is what catches on his tongue. He could keep the blond close forever and it still wouldn't be long enough. 

"I can grab my stuff in the morning. For now, just let me enjoy this. Please." Miche retorted, tossing his leg over slimmer ones for emphasis. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

After grabbing what little he had to his name, Miche had begun staying with Dex. Helping with the household chores. Cleaning up the mess left behind by the boy's deceased parents. Slowly but surely, the home was becoming something they could both be comfortable in. The noirette had moved from the small guest room to the master bedroom, giving the guest room to the larger since he had less to store. With the need to return to work hanging just around the corner, the boy was pushing to get the move finished so that he could come home and relax. The pair worked together until everything was perfect. The old books that sat in the living room had been donated. The shelves sold to the local used furniture store. Everything had been scrubbed then repainted, giving the old house a fresh appearance. By the end of the week, Dex was somewhat excited to get back to work. The noirette all but darted out the door that morning to head to the diner, bounce in his step as he walked through the front door and slipped his apron on without so much as a word to Levi. 

"Someone's in a good mood." Levi snorted. 

"Yup. Got the house cleaned up and I have a roommate. He's polite, cleans up after himself and is really good at helping me move heavy stuff." Dex beamed, getting right to work. 

The manager quirked a brow but chose not to pry. The way his employee was talking, it sounded like he'd found more than just a roommate but it wasn't his place to snoop in the server's personal life. So long as the boy was safe and happy, that's all the broody raven cared about. Though he did have his suspicions on who the new roommate might be. Cool grey eyes watched his worker a moment, taking in the renewed sense of joy radiating off the taller man. It was almost cute the way the skinny thing danced around the dining area, even going so far as to hip bump the bulk blond cook on the way to the back. When the day was done and the youth was just finishing wiping down the last table, Levi stepped in, wanting to talk to him. 

"Oi, Dex. Mind if I talk to you for a sec?" The smaller male asked. 

"Yeah, of course mister Ackerman, am I in trouble?" Dex asked, sitting at the table he'd been cleaning. 

"No, not in trouble. I just want to make sure you really are okay. You took a pretty hard fall on the ice, ended up in the hospital and then you come back to work saying you have a new roommate. I have a guess as to who it might be. Have yet to see that tree come back here, after all. What you do and who you do in your off time is your business. Just want to make sure you're good." Levi retorted, arms folding over a fit chest. 

"It's nothing like that, mister Ackerman. Promise. He needed a decent place to stay. He also is the one who saved my life. Figured it's the least I can do since I kinda owe him for not leaving me to die in the middle of the road." The taller male shrugged and finished what he was doing. "Thanks for looking out for me though. It means a lot to know that you care."

The manager merely grunted lowly and let his employee wrap up the end of the day tasks before sending him home. He was a little shocked to see the giant standing outside the diner, waiting for the slight ravenette to join him. 

"So, how was work?" Miche asked, keeping a hand on a slender shoulder. 

"It was alright. I think mister Ackerman thinks we're a couple. He also is worried you might have nefarious intentions." Dex giggled, nearly skipping into the open door of the house. 

Shoes kicked off at the door, coat hung up and extra layers left in the laundry room. The human settled onto the couch, sighing softly when those large hands began rubbing over his shoulders in an attempt to help him unwind. Those powerful hands honed in on all the tight spots in his back, easing each loose with a precision that no human could achieve. 

"Oh, okay. You and your magical kryptonian hands are gonna be my undoing. No human has skills like this." Dex nearly moaned as every tense spot came loose. 

"It's not just my hands. I can see where the tightness is and hone in on it better. Like right here." Finding a particularly tense knot, he pressed until he could work the muscle to relaxed. 

"Mmh, that's nice. That's really nice. I'd offer to do the same to you but I feel like that would equate to me massaging a steel bar. You don't give like a human does. Not complaining though." The raven found himself starting to go slack under those wonderful touches. 

Before he knew it, he'd found himself in his own bed, cuddled up with a soft green flannel that didn't belong to him. Sniffing it once, the waiter immediately knew who it belonged to and clung onto it all the tighter. The gesture stirred something in the slight man. A need to be closer to his kryptonian housemate. With a hum, Dex climbed out of bed and shuffled sleepily to the bathroom and nearly shrieked. Face turning about seven shades of red, the human turned back around and slipped back to his bedroom to hide from his embarrassment. He hadn't meant to walk in on Miche in the shower. Not that the view wasn't a splendid one. Huddling down into the bedding, the noirette willed himself not to think about it. After all, what godlike alien would want any sort of romantic relationship with a puny little human? 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

After a week of trying to eat his feelings, Dex had taken to hiding in his room when he was home, not wanting to risk getting caught staring or something of that nature. The only problem was that the blond had noticed his sudden avoidance and thought he'd changed his mind about wanting to be his friend. Which stung. Here he'd thought they had something special, but it had turned out that Dex was just like all the other humans. Wanting to be nice but in the end rejected him because of how different he was. He'd just finished gathering his things when there was a faint knock on the door. Slinging his bag over his shoulder, Miche opened the door, expression hardened to stare down at the boy. Or that had been the plan until he noticed just how nervous the smaller man seemed to be. Shuffling on his feet, heart rate slightly elevated with a bad case of sweaty palms. The mountain of a man immediately tossed his bag aside to ensure the human was well. 

"Are you going somewhere?" Dex asked, looking all the more timid after asking. 

Realizing how badly he'd misinterpreted the situation, the sandy haired man sighed and stepped aside to let his friend into the room. The blush on those pale cheeks told him all he needed to know. 

"You were avoiding me. Thought I'd overstayed my welcome. Realized I was wrong though. I'm not leaving unless you want me to." Miche tried to clarify, only to be met with a bashful nod. 

"Right. Sorry about that… I've just been trying to figure some stuff out." The ravenette replied, still shuffling in the doorway to the bedroom. "About that… I've been trying to figure out how to tell you that… I… Like you. A lot. More than just as a friend and, I was worried that you'd make fun of me or something. I'm sorry. I just didn't want you to laugh at me so I started avoiding you to keep from outing myself." The petite boy flustered deeper. 

Silence hung in the air as the server braced for the rejection he was sure was coming. When a huge hand cupped his cheek instead, he gasped, pale blue meeting sea green. The kryptonian seemed to contemplate a moment before crashing their lips together. The blond pulled away slowly, eyes staying closed as he took in the situation. 

"Guess this means I like you too." Miche retorted and turned to put his things back where they belonged. 

He nearly snickered when he could hear the boy's heartbeat jump up to racing. Knowing of his little human's affinity for literature, he dug out a copy of a book he'd read front to back on multiple occasions. The cover was worn and the pages were dulled a bit but it was in good condition for the most part. 

"Here. I've read this more than a few times. Thought you might like it." The giant held out the novel. 

Atmospheric orbs widened as he recognized the title as one he'd also read and adored. 

"You like The Witcher?" Dex gasped before grinning brightly. "It's one of my favorite books ever! I'm sorry but I like Triss so much more than Yennefer. And Ciri is the best."

The larger chuckled then. Laying the book on his comforter, he watched his housemate vanish a moment before being handed more books. The rest of the series. Something he'd meant to pick up but never got around to. 

"You can read these if you want. Or… We could read them together. Maybe?" The noirette blushed madly. 

"I think I'd like reading them with you. When did you want to start?" Miche looked from the literature to its rightful owner questioningly. 

"We could start them tonight. And… If you want you can come sleep in the master bedroom with me. Might make reading together easier." Dex offered timidly. 

"Sounds good to me. You don't mind that I sleep in my boxers do you?" It seemed prudent to establish boundaries, make sure they'd both be comfortable. 

"I do too. It doesn't bother me just… Mind that I've never… You know…" In that moment, the shorter man was sure he couldn't possibly blush any deeper. 

"We don't have to do anything but read. Maybe cuddle a little bit. Being close to you is nice, but I'm not going to do anything you don't want me to." The hulk ruffled dark locks once then wandered down the stairs to grab a bit of food. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

That night found both men curled up together in Dex's bed, book held by long fingers as Miche read aloud. As that rich baritone brought the words to life, the noirette's eyelids grew heavy until finally he drifted to sleep with his cheek pressed to a bulging pectoral. It took a moment to realize that the human was asleep but, once he had, the kryptonian let the book snap shut and adjusted to make sure they would both be comfortable enough to sleep through the night. He couldn't help that his lips curled into a contented smile. Being so close to another being was something he'd been missing. When he finally drifted off as well, his dreams were filled to the brim with images of potential futures with his little human. Morning came far too quickly for the blond. Simply put, he wasn't ready to leave the warmth of the bed. His raven's alarm going off pulled a groan from him. 

"Mmh, Dex, get up and shut off your alarm before I end its life prematurely." Miche rumbled out. 

The noirette growled at the infernal device and shuffled out of the heated embrace, getting the noise silenced before dragging his feet to the bathroom. After a brief shower, Dex wandered down the stairs, grabbing a bit of breakfast then walking out the door to get to work. Stepping into the diner, the waiter grabbed his apron and got to work until the manager stopped him suddenly. 

"Your hair is messier than usual, you're late and you look like you got about two hours of sleep. Did you fuck him?" Levi glared skeptically at his employee. 

"We were up late reading The Witcher. Turns out he's also a fan. He'd only ever read the first book and I have the whole series. Don't worry my valiant protector, I'm still a virgin." The taller of the two nearly snarled, earning a quirked brow from the boss. 

"You want to fuck him. So why haven't you?" The manager questioned. 

"I don't know, maybe it's because I'm scared he'll think that's all I want? Maybe because I'm twenty three and still haven't found the right guy to take it? Maybe because I only just got up the nerve to tell him how I feel? Christ, Levi. I'm sorry for snapping but I don't see how my sexual endeavours matter to my boss." Realizing just how out of line he was, Dex untied his apron and handed it to the smaller male then exited without a word. 

Long legs carried the slender form back to the house before he all but dove into the arms of a very startled and confused Miche. 

"Uh, everything alright?" The blond couldn't quite get a read on what had upset the youth and so, he tried to soothe the boy, rubbing over tense shoulders. 

"I walked in the door with messy hair and my boss immediately assumed that you and I had… You know? And normally I wouldn't be so bothered by it but, I don't want you to think that's all I want from you cause you're the first person to come into my life and stick around long enough for me to really get attached since my parents died so, I'm scared that if we do have sex, you're going to think I was just using you. I don't want to lose this. Whatever this is. I want to keep it. Because I dread being alone again." The ravenette couldn't look up, cheeks blazing bright red with embarrassment. 

"So… You got mad cause your boss thought we fucked?" Miche was even more confused by the confession. "Do you want to fuck? I mean, I'm not asking because I want you to want to, I genuinely want to know if that's something you want."

"I don't not want to. I want to but… As an eventually sort of thing. Like, I want it to be something meaningful. Not just me wanting to punch my v card, you know? If I'm going to give it up at all, I want it to be because I connected with someone, not just cause I was horny and stupid." Pale blue searched for some sort of understanding in sea green. 

"Oh Dex, I understand completely. And you can have a relationship without sex. Hell, we don't ever have to if you don't want to. We can just be close, read together, whatever you want. Not like my hand stopped working suddenly cause you took an interest. Did my sleeping beside you make you uncomfortable? I can go back to the guest room if you want." The giant offered. 

"No, it didn't bother me. It was… Really nice, actually. Sorry I freaked out. And I'm pretty sure I just lost my job." Dex admitted lowly and hid his face and the shade shade of red his cheeks had taken on. 

Miche pecked a kiss to a hair hidden temple and walked them both up to the master bedroom, stripping off outer layers as soon as they were inside. Collapsing back onto the bed, he pulled his little human down with him and took up the book they'd started the night before. 

"We're just going to lay down and relax and worry about what to do when you're calm. Until then, I'm going to continue reading about the adventures of Geralt of Rivia. Sound good?" The blond purred, turning his eyes to the page when the boy nodded in agreement. 

It didn't shock him when the noirette ended up asleep. That didn't surprise him in the least. What did shock him was the soft whimper of his name and a certain bodily reaction that accompanied it. Angular hips rocked forwards, grinding that fabric covered heat against his thigh and the smaller man moaned. He was not ready for the way tiny hands gripped onto his shirt tightly. His own cheeks darkened a shade as he tried to ignore the soft cries of his name. Finally the boy went quiet and settled which had him sighing in relief and relaxing a little more into the bed. Book discarded to the end table so that he could adjust to hold his sleeping charge more comfortably. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

Dex woke the next morning to a very grumpy Levi Ackerman pounding on his front door and yelling at him for being late. With a grumble, the raven rolled to his feet and shuffled down the stairs to open the door and give a half awake look to the diner manager. 

"What are you doing still asleep?! You were supposed to be in over an hour ago! Did you suddenly forget that you have a job to do?!" Levi ranted, pacing back and forth on the porch. 

"Didn't think you'd want me back after yesterday." Dex mumbled back with a shrug, stepping aside to let the shorter man inside. "And anyway, I'm pretty sure the conversation we had yesterday made me uncomfortable enough that I don't want to come back. I get that you try to big brother me or whatever but, that's one conversation I don't want to have with you. Okay?"

Miche walked down the stairs then, giving a less than friendly look to the smallest. 

"Look, I'm sorry about yesterday, alright? Sometimes I don't think before I speak. I'm not exactly the most social guy on the planet. But I need your help back at the diner. Jean went AWOL on me and Eren just isn't you. Please, Dex?" Levi pleaded. 

The taller noirette shared a look with his housemate before nodding once. 

"Fine. I'll come back but, one word about my home life with Miche and I'm gone. Talk about sports. The weather. Hell, I'm mostly okay with talking about what we get up to but no more discussing my sex life. Period." Dex growled the last bit before wandering back up the stairs with his kryptonian. 

Dressed and ready to go, he pecked a kiss to that scruffy jaw then dipped out the door with his boss. The work day was as fast paced as the server had anticipated. Tables full to the brim and then some. With the holidays done and over with, everyone visiting the little town would be leaving soon and thus, the diner was full of all those leaving. The groups of people wanting to share a final bit of fun before waiting another year to see each other. Such was the nature of living in a small town. No one but those too poor to leave ever stayed behind. 

"Oi, Dex. Your tree just walked in." Levi called to the back, watching as the slender youth came trotting to the front of house to greet the giant. "Tch. Lovebirds."

"Hey, you going back to work at the lumber yard?" Dex asked as he laid out a menu and poured a cup of coffee for the brute. 

"Yeah. They called me. Said they needed more hands, so I'm back to work. Figured I'd stop in for a bite to eat before heading over to work." Miche smiled, giving a playful swat to the slight male's backside when he started to walk away. 

The yip he earned had him shooting a playful wink to his roommate. Chartreuse watched those slim but fit hips sway to the back to fill his order. 

"Hey Mister Ackerman, I'm taking my break now, if that's okay." The waiter asked. 

"Yeah yeah, go ahead and eat with your boyfriend." Levi waved dismissively with muted amusement on his face. 

Winter's grey took in the way the boy bounded out to the dining area and sat across from the towering man. He watched to make sure the youth really was happy. Observed the way the pair laughed and smiled with each other. The two seemed just about perfect for one another and that was all that mattered to him. He'd made a point of looking out for Dex after the accident. Took it as his personal responsibility to make sure nothing hurt him. The taller ravenette was a good kid. Deserved to have someone watching his back and the former marine made a perfect guardian.


End file.
